Folding car-step.



J. LANG.

FOLDING CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 19:7.

1 fimfi'Fflo Patented May 28,1918.

Jason Lane, on sanrsreunr, Mrssounr.

FOLDING can-steer.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatentedlltay 2a, 191%..

Application filedfl'une 12, 1917. Serial No. 174,306.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that l, JACOB LANG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salisbury, in the county of Ohariton, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Car-Steps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in railway car steps, and particularly to an auxiliary extensible step therefor.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel device of this character which is capable of application to the sets of steps of a car now in use.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Vide an extensible step which is simple in construction and easy and efiective in its operation, the same including novel means for holding the step in elevated or depressed position.

Another object resides in the construction of the parts which hold the step in operative relation to the car steps.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a set of railway car steps showing my improved extensible step mounted thereon and in lowered position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing 10 represents the side boards of the car steps and 11 the steps thereof. A metal plate A consists of a body portion 12 disposed at the rear of the car steps, and having side wings which are bent at right angles to the body, as at 13, and in parallel relation to...each other, said wings being disposed for vertical slidable movement at the sides of the side boards of the steps. Extending beneath the steps, and through both of the side boards are the bolts or rods 14, the ends of which are disposed through the longitudinal slots 15 in the said Wings 13. The forward or lower ends of the wings extend beyond. the lower edge of the body portion and are formed with the laterally turned flanges 16 which are secured to the lower face of the ends of the auxiliary step 17.

In the upper frame 18, at one side of the steps, there is formed an opening 19, and disposed for vertical slidable movement in this opening is a rod 20. The lower end of the rod is pivotally connected to a lug 21 carried by the lower end of one of the wings 13, which lug is disposed in laterally projecting relation to the inner end of the auxiliary step 17. On the said frame 18, in front of the opening 19, there is secured a leaf spring 22 the free end of which bears against the forward edge of the upper portion of the rod 20 to normally press the same backwardly and engage the notch 28, of said rod, with the keeper 24c carried by the frame 18, at the rear end of the opening.

Thus when the upper end of the rod, which is formed with the handle loop 25, is grasped and pulled upwardly, the auxiliary step will be pulled upwardly beneath the tread of the lowermost step of the flight. The spring will immediately force the rod rearwardly so as to engage its notch with the keeper and thereby hold the auxiliary step in elevated position, and out of the way. When the step is to be lowered, the rod is pushed forwardly torelease its notch from the keeper when the rod may easily be pushed downwardly and with it the auxil iary step. The limit of the downward movement of the auxiliary step will be the length of the slots of the wings of the plate.

It will thus be seen that the device is simple in its construction and easy in its operation, the same be conveniently operable from the platform by one of the train crew.

What is claimed is:

The combination with the steps of a railway car, of bolts disposed transversely beneath certain of the steps and through the sides of the steps, IL-shaped plates disposed at the sides of the steps and having longi tudinal slots engaging with the ends of said bolts, an auxiliary step tread carried by the horizontal portions of the said lL-shaped plates, the sill of the car having an opening therein, a transverse yoke member disposed at one end of the opening, a rod secured to the lower portion of one of said L- to insure the engagement thereof in the 10 shaped plates and extending upwardly notch of the rod. through said opening in the sill, said rod In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature having a notch for the reception-of said in the presence-of two Witnesses.

5 yoke to hold the rod and auxiliary step in elevated positlon, and a leaf spring secured JACOB LANG to said sill at the other end of the opening Witnesses: and bearing against said rod to normally HENRY SCHULTZ, force said rod in engagement with said yoke W. E. SUT'IER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. 0. 

